7 thoughts on “Ashes of Creation: Nostalgia in MMOS”
You might not be aware of this, but the point of Alpha 2, beyond the physical game world, is to spend a minimum of the next 1.5-2.5 years figuring out what works for the community.
Not the game is centered about grouping – the current alpha is. The dev, Steven, said on the Pirate Software stream that there will be plenty of soloable content, quests etc, it's just not in during this server test.
I like the difficulty on this game it remembers me a lot Tibia and I like it. I mean, I prefer the slow progress compared to leveling up fast and doing end game content. To ble clear, I also would like that they consider the idea of having no limit level and treat this game like a service. I mean, i wish they could feel a MMO alive that month by month add different mobs and making harder and harder to level. Tibia did it and it passed years and years and the game is still solid alive.
The thing that I get from this video is "This game isn't catering to the masses and it's too hard core". In my opinion that is the single best thing about this whole game. Today we only have 2 games with hardcore mechanics: EVE Online and Albion Online. This "wow-esque" fantasy mmorpg just doesn't exist. I hope AoC fixes that. EVE Online and Albion don't have much players compared to FF or WOW but still enough people for the developers to be able to keep working on the game and running the servers. A hardcore mmorpg with 1000 players is better than a casual single player mmo experience with millions of players. The market needs diversity instead of copy paste games.
I completely disagree with the notion that easy leveling makes for a good experience. In games like World of Warcraft, Elder Scrolls Online, or Guild Wars 2, the leveling phase is often so devoid of difficulty that it becomes tedious. When there’s no real challenge, the journey feels hollow, lacking any sense of accomplishment or engagement.
The popularity of World of Warcraft’s Hardcore mode is proof that difficulty adds value. Knowing that death comes with a genuine cost—like losing your character—builds immersion, heightens the stakes, and makes every decision matter. When players have something to lose, they’re naturally more invested, paying closer attention and feeling a real sense of risk and reward.
Additionally, the thrill of overcoming challenging encounters or even just surviving tough situations brings a sense of pride and achievement that easy leveling simply can’t provide. Games thrive when they create memorable experiences, and difficulty plays a big role in crafting those lasting memories.
I have said this many times before about other videos like this. The game is a true ALPHA. They are currently only testing server stability, and after the third weekend I can say that has largely been achieved. The game currently does not include many quests, but that DOES NOT MEAN there wont been quests when the game launches. Yes, there is currently no game mechanic for Looking for Group. Does there need to be one? No. Eventually people will realize that if they hang out by the bind points and ask other players or ask in General Chat that they will find a group. More casual players can also join a guild specifically catering to more casual players, which would make grouping easier. I am personally in a larger guild that has a sub guild specifically for more casual players. The larger guild is happy to assist them with hand me down gear and power leveling.
If you want to be an antisocial loner and solo play you can solo mobs as well, or gather and craft, or just explore the landscape which is rich with detail. But I would strongly encourage those players to embrace the social aspect of the game. It might actually improve your real life as well.
You might not be aware of this, but the point of Alpha 2, beyond the physical game world, is to spend a minimum of the next 1.5-2.5 years figuring out what works for the community.
Not the game is centered about grouping – the current alpha is. The dev, Steven, said on the Pirate Software stream that there will be plenty of soloable content, quests etc, it's just not in during this server test.
I like the difficulty on this game it remembers me a lot Tibia and I like it. I mean, I prefer the slow progress compared to leveling up fast and doing end game content. To ble clear, I also would like that they consider the idea of having no limit level and treat this game like a service. I mean, i wish they could feel a MMO alive that month by month add different mobs and making harder and harder to level. Tibia did it and it passed years and years and the game is still solid alive.
The thing that I get from this video is "This game isn't catering to the masses and it's too hard core". In my opinion that is the single best thing about this whole game. Today we only have 2 games with hardcore mechanics: EVE Online and Albion Online. This "wow-esque" fantasy mmorpg just doesn't exist. I hope AoC fixes that. EVE Online and Albion don't have much players compared to FF or WOW but still enough people for the developers to be able to keep working on the game and running the servers. A hardcore mmorpg with 1000 players is better than a casual single player mmo experience with millions of players. The market needs diversity instead of copy paste games.
I do NOT agree with any points you've made, I feel that what they are doing fine. I hope that they don't take any of this to heart.
I completely disagree with the notion that easy leveling makes for a good experience. In games like World of Warcraft, Elder Scrolls Online, or Guild Wars 2, the leveling phase is often so devoid of difficulty that it becomes tedious. When there’s no real challenge, the journey feels hollow, lacking any sense of accomplishment or engagement.
The popularity of World of Warcraft’s Hardcore mode is proof that difficulty adds value. Knowing that death comes with a genuine cost—like losing your character—builds immersion, heightens the stakes, and makes every decision matter. When players have something to lose, they’re naturally more invested, paying closer attention and feeling a real sense of risk and reward.
Additionally, the thrill of overcoming challenging encounters or even just surviving tough situations brings a sense of pride and achievement that easy leveling simply can’t provide. Games thrive when they create memorable experiences, and difficulty plays a big role in crafting those lasting memories.
I have said this many times before about other videos like this. The game is a true ALPHA. They are currently only testing server stability, and after the third weekend I can say that has largely been achieved. The game currently does not include many quests, but that DOES NOT MEAN there wont been quests when the game launches. Yes, there is currently no game mechanic for Looking for Group. Does there need to be one? No. Eventually people will realize that if they hang out by the bind points and ask other players or ask in General Chat that they will find a group. More casual players can also join a guild specifically catering to more casual players, which would make grouping easier. I am personally in a larger guild that has a sub guild specifically for more casual players. The larger guild is happy to assist them with hand me down gear and power leveling.
If you want to be an antisocial loner and solo play you can solo mobs as well, or gather and craft, or just explore the landscape which is rich with detail. But I would strongly encourage those players to embrace the social aspect of the game. It might actually improve your real life as well.